ACT for Blood Program Announced

During this month’s America’s Blood Centers (ABC) Annual Meeting, Act for Blood officially launched with a formal announcement. This grassroots program aims to advance policies that support a strong and diverse blood supply. The Act for Blood program announcement noted that the initiative will equip stakeholders with the tools and knowledge they need to meaningfully engage in advocacy that can promote change at the state and federal level.

Building on ABC’s current advocacy efforts, Act for Blood includes the following initiatives that will expand and amplify the work of ABC on behalf of its member blood centers through the:

• Advocacy Summit: taking place June 10^th-11^th  in Washington, D.C., this event features a day full of training on year-round advocacy work followed by the opportunity to go to Capitol Hill and meet with lawmakers and staff. Registration opens this week;
• Congressional Champions: ABC will recognize members of Congress that have become champions for the blood supply and provide an opportunity for blood centers to present the award during their Capitol Hill visits as part of the Advocacy Summit;
• Blood Advocacy Week: set for the week of June 9^th, ABC’s annual Blood Advocacy Week will engage more than 80 external national partners and include the Advocacy Summit, a blood drive on Capitol Hill, and letters to legislators from blood advocates;
• Federal Advocacy Contacts: This program will create a network of point persons within each member blood center who are trained and ready to communicate effectively with members of Congress and their staff;
• Site Visit Program: This initiative facilitates direct engagement between community blood centers, local stakeholders, and policymakers by hosting legislators at community blood centers. It will provide firsthand exposure to the vital work of blood collection and distribution while fostering a deeper understanding among key decisionmakers of the challenges and opportunities facing community blood centers;
• Grassroots Action Center: this portal allows all individuals to send a pre-written or customized message to policymakers on pressing blood-related issues; and
• Council of States: the hub for state-level advocacy efforts, through which ABC tracks relevant legislation across all 50 states and fosters proactive, coordinated action, and rapid response when needed.